Recap / Outlander S 1 E 8 Both Sides Now

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Recap of Outlander
Season 1, Episode 8:

Both Sides Now

In the 1940s, Frank grows desperate in his search for Claire while in the 1740s Claire comes to terms with her new marriage. Jamie sets out in search of a witness who may be able to clear his name, but Clan MacKenzie fears he may be riding into a trap.

Tropes

• Asshole Victims: The Redcoats who attack Jamie and attempt to rape Claire get fatal karmic retribution; the trio that attempts to mug Frank only to get their skulls caved in.
• Attack Hello: Hugh Monro shoots an arrow at the cliff where Jamie and Claire are seated. While it seems a weird way to greet someone, it's justified in that he's mute and needs to announce his presence before he peaks the hill, both to avoid interrupting anything and to avoid startling a well armed Scot. It only takes Jamie a moment to realize what has happened and he breaks into a grin pleased to see his friend.
• Attempted Rape: Two Redcoats stumble upon Claire and Jamie having sex in the woods. They decide that the Scot shouldn't have the fun and decide to hold Jamie at gun point while taking turns on Claire. After a moment of panic, she stabs her assailant in the back, killing him, just as Angus taught her.
• Bait-and-Switch: Jamie's initial reaction to the arrow and the background music suggests an attack is imminent. Instead, Jamie meets up with an old friend and gains valuable information.
• Bait-and-Switch Character Intro: Sally is introduced as someone who might be willing to help Frank, possibly a fellow intelligence officer looking to trade favors. Instead, she's a honeypot-style attacker leading him into an ambush, hoping to steal the reward money he's offering for information on the Highlander.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Frank comes across as timid and mild mannered. Sally and her co-conspirators learn the hard way that he is still an army veteran, capable of frightening violence, when they try to jump him. He turns the tables, beats the two men unconscious and nearly strangles Sally.
• Cassandra Truth: The reverend outright refuses to believe Mrs. Graham's theory of Claire traveling through the stones. Frank is very hesitant, but is ultimately so desperate, he visits the stones just in case.
• Chastity Dagger: The dirk that the MacKenzie men give Claire ends up being this after she is attacked by a Redcoat deserter. She stabs him several times in the kidneys to keep him from raping her.
• Chekhov's Skill: The men spend time teaching Claire how to defend herself with a knife, specifically how to drop a man in his tracks with a few quick jabs. By the end of the episode, she has to use that skill when she and Jamie are accosted by a group of Redcoats who hold Jamie at gunpoint while attempting to rape Claire.
• Crisis Catch And Carry: Claire is deeply in shock after to Redcoats attempt to assault her. Jamie picks her up and carries her away from the sight of the men's dead bodies.
• Dangerous Deserter: Invoked by Dougal and Murtagh. By definition, deserters are oath breakers so there's no telling what else they're capable of. Horrocks turns out to be a greedy liar and the two nameless deserters are sadistic would-be rapists.
• Deliberately Cute Child: Since he turns out to be Roger Wakefield, Reverend Wakefield's nephew is characterized as absolutely adorable.
• Downer Ending: The information that could possibly clear Jamie's name is useless, Claire has been captured by the Redcoats, and Frank has finally given up his search for Claire.
• Dynamic Entry: Jamie scales the side of the fort, kicks open a window and points a gun at Captain Randall, interrupting the man's assault of Claire.
• Early-Bird Cameo: A young boy runs around Reverend Wakefield's home as Wakefield and Frank work on theories of where Claire might be. That young boy is Roger Wakefield who will grow up to marry Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna.
• Evil-Detecting Dog: The horses' uneasy neighing and restless movement clues the MacKenzie clan into the impending sneak attack.
• Freeze-Frame Bonus:
  • Jamie's wanted poster:
    Have you seen this man? Last seen 30th October. Jacobite brooch, possibly eighteenth century. 1,000 reward for more information on his whereabouts. Tall man dressed in highlander attire seen in the vicinity of Mrs. Baird's B&B on the 30th of October. Wanted for questioning in regards to the disappearance of Claire Randall at Craigh na Dun. Tall man height 6 feet 2 or 3 inches, age 20 to 25 years, supposed unshaven, possibly blue eyes... Samhain...appearance... Dress: a loose shirt covered with brown or blue coat, folded plaid... dark brown boots... Information to be given to Detective Collins... Police
  • Claire's missing poster:
    Missing from Craigh Na Dun, Inverness 31st of October 1945. 1500 Reward for more information on her whereabout. Nurse Claire Beauchamp Randall, aged 28, Height 5 feet 9 inches, dark brown hair, blue eyes and dressed in a white dress with a... grey tartan shawl and brown shoes. Claire was last seen on the 31st of October leaving Mrs. Baird's B&B... en route to Craigh na Dun in a... coloured .... registration CRS 445. Please... every possible... to be made for her.... to inverness... Police.
• Heroic BSoD: After Claire is assaulted and has to kill a soldier, she begins to go into shock. All she can do is stare at her blood-covered hands and repeat softly that she's going into shock. Of course, Jamie does not know how to treat shock.
• Hero of Another Story: This episode spends significant time focused on Frank's reaction to Claire's disappearance and his efforts to recover her. While the series focus has been on what's happening to Claire, this episodes show that the story could just as easily be about a war weary intelligence officer whose wife mysteriously disappeared just as they were rekindling their marriage and about to start the life they always imagined and the drastic measures he's willing to take to find her, piecing together clues of a seemingly supernatural event while being stymied by the hapless police at every step.
• He Who Fights Monsters: After hearing about Frank's response to being attacked, Reverend Wakefield advises him to go home before he crosses a line that can't be uncrossed. Wakefield's believes that staying in Scotland, dwelling on Claire's disappearance is bad for Frank and brings out the worst in him.
• Hope Spot: Claire gets so close to returning through the stones, Frank can faintly hear her screaming on the other side. But her bid for freedom is dashed by Redcoats dispatched by Jack Randall.
• Inspector Lestrade: Despite Frank's accusations, the police have actually put a lot of effort into finding Claire. The police sergeant reports they've spent six weeks combing 100 square miles of rugged terrain, conducted 175 interviews, and invested over 1,000 man hours running down leads. The dot they need to solve the case is simply supernatural, rendering them incapable of discovering the truth, so they go for an easier solution, that Claire voluntarily ran off.
• Interrupted Intimacy: The two soldiers who sneak up on Jamie and Claire. One soldier even comments that it was rude of them not to let Jamie finish.
• I Reject Your Reality: The police accuse Frank of this. As far as they can tell, Frank spotted an attractive man watching Claire through her window. The next day, Frank was busy Claire disappeared with no sign of foul play and in six weeks they haven't been able to find any evidence that her disappearance was involuntary or that she has actually been harmed. To them, it seems obvious that Claire ran away with a lover and Frank simply refuses to accept it.
• Left Your Lifesaver Behind: Jamie is upset with himself for being so distracted with the idea of sex with Claire that he didn't think to bring a gun with them, leaving them vulnerable when Redcoats appear.
• Meanwhile, in the Future…: Part of the episode focuses on Frank's response to Claire's disappearance and his efforts to recover her.
• My Girl Is Not a Slut: Frank is so furious when the police sergeant theorizes that Claire ran off with a lover that the other officers in the station tense in anticipation that he might attack their commander.
• Oh, Crap!: Jamie's reaction to hearing a gun being cocked directly behind his ear as he's on top of Claire.
• Police Are Useless: Once they are out of theories, the police decide that Claire must have willingly run off with a lover and that Frank is a pathetic, cuckolded husband who is unwilling to accept the truth. Subverted in that the police are making logical conclusion based on the evidence and they have no way of knowing Claire is tripping through time.
• Shout-Out: Reverend Wakefield quotes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
• Soul-Saving Crusader: Hugh has scars on his legs from his captors pouring burning hot oil on his legs in an attempt to force him to convert faiths.
• Speak in Unison: As the police sergeant begins to rattle of the statistics of how much effort they've put into Claire's case, Frank because to speak in tandem with him, making it clear they've had this conversation before.
• The Speechless: Hugh Monroe. He had his tongue cut out while being held slave by the Moores. He communicates using grunts and a system of hand gestures which Jamie seems to understand fairly fluently.
• Stealth Insult: Frank tells the police officer that he had low expectations of the police department and they have consistently met his expectations.
• String Theory: Reverend Wakefield and Frank have a clue board with all the possible information surrounding Claire's disappearance.
• These Hands Have Killed: Part of the trigger to Claire's shock. While she killed to save her own life, having done so conflicts with her deeply entrenched oath of "First do no harm."
• Undignified Death: The Redcoat who tries to rape Claire dies bare assed with his pants around his knees, having been stabbed to death by a woman half his size.
• "Wanted!" Poster: As Frank and the police sergeant speak, Information Wanted Posters are seen on the cork board behind the officer. Frank is offering $1500 (worth $30k as of 2022) for information about Claire's whereabouts and $1000 (worth $28k as of 2022) for information about the mysterious highlander he spotted outside of Claire's window.
• Will Not Be a Victim: The Redcoats have a gun to Jamie's head and spend several minutes joking about how much fun they're going to have assaulting Claire. But the first one to try gets stabbed to death with Claire's hidden blades